Family Inheritance (36 page)

It was Christmas morning, and Suzanne's arms were filled with packages. She had to
ring the doorbell with her thumb.

Sam opened it and his freckled face broke into a grin. “More presents! Great!” Then
in his excitement, he turned into the room and yelled, “Mom, its Auntie Suzanne with
more presents. Isn't this a great Christmas?”

Alice came up behind Sam. “Suzanne! What did you do?”

“Went shopping.” Suzanne's face flushed with happiness.

“I see that, but you're crazy. You're not working, and your therapy has cost you
a lot of money. What if your job doesn't work out? You said you were worried about
that.” Alice helped her inside, as they both struggled with the shopping bags.

“I was.” Suzanne set her bags down and placed her hands on her sister's
shoulders.
“I didn't spend more than I can afford, but I realized something today. I'm in charge
of my life. Me and nobody else. I've been giving other people that power for too
long. Sure, there's going to be problems, but I can find solutions. My life doesn't
have to be a crisis. I need to take one day at a time, but that's not just so I won't
drink again; that's also to enjoy what each day brings—a fresh beginning. And I'm
starting here with you, the kids, and Christmas because you've helped me so much.
Your home and your life is an anchor in my time of chaos. It's what helps me not
to go nutty.”

“Mine?” Alice's mouth dropped open.

“Yes! First we strung popcorn on the tree. Then you made cookies and sent me ice
skating! I feel like a kid! I feel better than a kid. We never did things like this
when we were young. You're constantly improving your life. You came from an oppressive
situation, and you keep pulling yourself and us upward. It's like you keep reaching
for something, but how do you know what to reach for?” Suzanne was talking a mile
a minute.

Alice was sheepish. “It's nothing wonderful. I just read the ladies' magazines from
the grocery store.”

Suzanne smiled at her sister. Alice had come such a long way since summer. They all
had. They all seemed to have climbed up out of holes of darkness. They certainly
weren't on top of their mountains yet, but they were on upward paths.

“I love you, Suzanne,” Alice said.

Suzanne started to cry. “I know.”

“Mom, Auntie Suzanne, you're not getting sad are you? It's Christmas.” Sam seemed
anxious, as if he was afraid something would ruin this Christmas.

Suzanne knelt down and embraced her nephew. “No, Sam, I'm not getting sad. In fact,
I feel so happy I could burst into many little pieces.”

“Oh yuck,” the boy rolled his eyes, “that would be gross.”

Laughter bubbled in Suzanne's throat.
God, but I'm glad to be alive!

Chapter 42

Dallas, Texas

It was the first Monday in January of 1991, and Suzanne was returning to work. She'd
had a wonderful Christmas with Alice and the kids and had spent the time between
Christmas and New Years to return to Dallas, her condo, and her life.

Before coming back home, she had asked Melanie to go to her condo and remove all
the bottles she had stashed there. She'd been tempted to keep one or two a secret,
but in the end, she'd revealed all of her hiding spots. Melanie had done a great
job clearing them all out.

She had spent a quiet New Year's Eve and Day thinking about the new year and the
new life she was about to create. She'd called Alice and Helene on New Year's Eve,
and as the new year slipped in, Suzanne uttered thankfulness for her family.

She adjusted her skirt and jacket before opening the door to her office. Melanie's
smile brought warmth to Suzanne's chilly feeling. Her hands were so cold. She had
been trying to warm them all morning.

Her boss, Mr. Warren, was meeting her in her office at nine, and then Jeff was due
at eleven.
It's today or never. I'll either confront my past today, or it will devour
me.

“Hi, boss! You look terrific!” Melanie got up from behind her desk and embraced Suzanne
in a hug.

Suzanne felt like a child entering kindergarten for the first time. “I am so nervous,
Melanie. I feel so totally different from the woman who left here in July.”

“Don't be.” Melanie gazed at Suzanne for a moment before continuing. “You certainly
look different. I love your hair down and full like that. You look so pretty, so
soft.”

“Thanks.” Suzanne blushed.

“Graciously accepting a compliment, and you're blushing! I'm impressed. The old Suzanne
would have brushed it off or made excuses. We have a totally new woman here.”

Suzanne looked around the office and then down at her watch. “Let's hope I'm different
enough and strong enough to deal with Jeff Davidson. I'm scared to death.”

“You'll be okay. Go get reacquainted with your office, and I'll bring you some coffee.”

Suzanne entered her office and sat at her desk. Her stomach curled in disgust as
she remembered her last encounter with Jeff on this desk, but this time, the disgust
was not pointed in her direction.

“I hope you still drink your coffee black.” Melanie set the cup on her desk.

“Actually,”
Suzanne smiled, “I've started adding sugar. My sweet tooth has really kicked in since
I quit drinking.”

Melanie sat in the chair facing Suzanne. “Is it really hard? Not drinking, I mean.”

“Very hard. I have to fight it every day, one day at a time. Sometimes I have to
fight it one second at a time.”

“I really admire you, Suzanne.”

“Admire me? Why?”

“Because you're kicking an addiction, and from what I read, that's a big task.”

“Good morning!” a voice called from the front office.

“Oh, hi, Robert,” Melanie called.

When did she started calling him Robert?
Suzanne stood, straightening her suit jacket
nervously.

Robert Warren walked into the office with his hand outstretched. “Suzanne, it's good
to have you back.”

“Thank you, Mr. Warren. It's good to be back.”

Melanie then excused herself and closed the door behind her.

“She is a terrific secretary and loyal friend.” Robert gazed kindly at Suzanne.

“I'm very lucky to have her as both.”
Let's get on with it. I can't think of small
talk when I'm scared to death about my future.

Robert sat down and sipped on his coffee, studying Suzanne. “You look different,
Suzanne. And I like the change.”

“Uh . . . thank you, Mr. Warren.” Suzanne cleared her throat in an attempt to get
rid of the lump that was settling there. “I have a lot to explain, don't I?”
Where
do I begin? How do I do this?

“Do you?” He smiled at her.

“Well, sir, my leave of absence was rather sudden and unexpected.”

“I understand that your mother became very ill and that somehow triggered your need
to deal with your alcoholism.”

“It did. I mean, it was part of it, but there is more.”

“Melanie led me to believe there might be.”

Suzanne stood up and slowly paced the room.
Give me strength, Lord. Give me strength.

“Well, sir, you see . . . when I was drinking, I would go to bars and get pretty
drunk.” Suzanne clenched her hands together. “I didn't know what I was doing half
the time. I'd end up going home with different guys. I had a lot of one-night stands.”

Sympathy filled Robert's eyes. “Suzanne, you don't have to tell me this. That was
your personal life.”

“I do have to tell you, sir, because it didn't stay with my personal life.” She took
a deep breath and hurried on before she lost her strength. “One night, I got very
drunk, and I ended up in bed with Jeff Davidson.”

“Oh.”

“And he took pictures.”

“He did what?”

“He took a lot of pictures. And he said if I didn't do what he wanted,
he'd make
sure everyone in the company saw them.” Robert was silent, and Suzanne's heart sank.
“I panicked, Mr. Warren. I was so embarrassed and so afraid of losing my job.” She
shakily took a deep breath. “Finally, his demands got to be so much that when my
mother got sick, it was a good excuse to run. And that's what I did. I've been running
since then.”

“And now you've stopped?”

“Yes.”
But I want to run again right now. To the nearest bar, preferably.

“What demands did he make?”

“Businesswise, he wanted more money.”

“So, the raises, the bonuses? He wasn't improving?”

“No.”

“What about his improved numbers? His calls and productivity?”

“They were fixed, and I allowed them to slide, along with escalated expense reports.”
Suzanne's breath was shallow. She would never walk away from this with her job, but
by God she was finally going to be rid of the secrets. All the dark, ugly secrets.

Robert ran his hand roughly through his hair, and his eyes were troubled. “These are some pretty serious offenses you're confessing to, Suzanne.”

Suzanne didn't
answer him. She didn't have to.

“I can't let these offenses slide without disciplinary action for both Mr. Davidson
and yourself.” He watched Suzanne for a few moments. “Are you in possession of any
of these photographs?”

She nodded. “Jeff gave me copies because he wanted me to remember who was in charge.”

“Do you have any of them here with you?”

Turbulence assaulted her face as waves of red washed over her pale cheeks, but she
simply nodded again.

“I understand that Jeff has an appointment with us this morning.” Suzanne nodded
once more. Robert leaned forward in his seat. “Do you trust me, Suzanne?”

Silently Suzanne sat behind her desk and assessed the man across from her. Her mind
ran over his treatment of her the last years, and her experience with him as a person
in general. “If I didn't, I would have turned in my notice without coming back to
work.”

Robert seemed surprised but not offended by her frankness. “Suzanne, I'd like you
to place your pictures in an envelope and hand them to me.”

Suzanne ran her tongue over her dry lips, reached into her purse for the envelope
that held the pictures, and slid it across the desk.

“Now, please pull out copies of Jeff 's reports that were fudged.”

Suzanne stiffly walked over to her file cabinet. She clumsily went through the files.
Take a deep breath. It's going to be okay, and if it's not, you can make it okay
for yourself. This isn't the only job in the world. If you have to start from scratch,
so be it. You've got yourself, and that's not a bad beginning. You're going to be
okay.

When she sat down again, Suzanne's boss moved closer to the desk and began reviewing
the files. They spent the next hour going over reports, with Suzanne answering the
questions Robert had about the reports and her division.

He closed the last file she had put in front of him and leaned back in the chair.
“You have been very negligent in your responsibilities, Suzanne. You've cost the
company undeserved bonuses, raises, and expenses. For these infractions, I'm going
to put you on a ninety-day probationary period and reduce your salary by fifteen
percent a year.”

Robert leaned forward and gently put his hand on hers, which was fidgeting with a
pen and slightly trembling. “Suzanne, if I let your infractions go unpunished, I'd
be as guilty as you are of shirking my supervisory responsibilities.”

“I know.” Suzanne's voice was barely above a whisper as her mind circled and tried
to find some balance in everything that was happening. Then Melanie's voice came
over the intercom and Suzanne's breath caught in her chest.

“Jeff is here.” Melanie's voice was filled with disdain.

“He's early.” Panic rose in Suzanne's chest. Then taking a deep breath, she responded,
“Thank you, Melanie.”

“Do you need a few moments alone before we meet with him?” Robert asked.

Suzanne shook her head. “That would only give me time to feel, and then I'd fall
apart.”

He nodded. Reaching for the phone, he pressed the intercom button. “Melanie, send
Mr. Davidson in.”

When Jeff walked through the door, the cold wind of reality chilled Suzanne. She
was face-to-face with a perpetrator and predator, and for once she was not going
to act like a victim.
I'm not going to cave in. I'm not going to be frightened. I'm
going to take what comes, but he's not going to use me. No more. No one is going
to use me again. I won't be a victim anymore.

Jeff nodded toward Robert and condescendingly smiled at Suzanne. “Suzanne, I've missed
you. You're looking beautiful.”

Scumbag.

Suzanne straightened her shoulders and held her head higher. “Have a seat, Mr. Davidson.”

Jeff 's eyes registered some confusion, but his ego seemed to take over as he smirked
and sat down. Jeff was barely settled in his chair when Robert pushed the envelope
across the desk to him. “I'd like you to explain these to me.”

Jeff picked up the envelope, and as he felt the contents, his eyes flew to Suzanne.
Momentary panic seemed to seize him as his eyes grew wide. Then he snickered toward
Suzanne. “I think they speak for themselves.”

“Do they? What do they say?” Robert said firmly.

Jeff glared at Robert. “That she got smashed and turned into a slut.” Anger seared
through Jeff 's eyes.

“Have you ever been drunk?”

“Well, sure.”

“Have you had sex when you're drunk?”

Jeff fidgeted in his chair but didn't answer the question.